52-year-old Korean executive learns Vietnamese to earn master's degree

Armed with two bachelor's degrees from South Korea, 52-year-old Choi Chang Young is learning Vietnamese to pursue a master's degree in business administration in Vietnam.

Young began attending Vietnamese language classes in early October at Ho Chi Minh City Open University. Under university regulations, he must study the language for about a year before officially starting his master's program.

Despite already holding degrees in arts and culture and artificial intelligence, Young wants to enhance his qualifications to support his career.

He has lived in Vietnam for more than six years and currently serves as vice chairman of the Korean Sports Association in Vietnam and deputy director of a Vietnam-South Korea education company.

Choi Chang Young attends a Vietnamese language class at Ho Chi Minh City Open University in October 2026. Photo courtesy of the university

Young views the 20- to 30-year age gap between himself and his classmates as a positive experience. Exchanging ideas with younger students gives him fresh perspectives and problem-solving approaches he can apply to his current role, he said.

He also believes his professional and startup background provides a strong foundation for grasping advanced academic concepts.

He shared that his primary challenge is mastering Vietnam's six tones, a feature absent in Korean, where a slight inflection shift completely alters a word's meaning, adding that navigating Vietnam's complex system of pronouns and forms of address, which vary based on age, gender, and social hierarchy, poses another hurdle.

"Addressing people is not simply about learning vocabulary. It requires understanding Vietnamese culture and communication etiquette," Young said.

He recalled making frequent pronunciation and vocabulary mistakes, but noted his classmates never mocked him. Instead, many approached him after class to offer encouragement and guidance. In return, Young helps them with their Korean writing skills.

Planning to remain in Vietnam long-term, Young aims to pursue a doctorate after completing his master’s degree.

"Learning is a lifelong journey, and age is not a barrier to acquiring knowledge," he said.